Electric Door Handles - What Did Elon Know, And When Did He Know It? - CleanTechnica

The article from CleanTechnica examines the development and implications of Tesla’s electric door handles, particularly focusing on the Model 3 and Model Y. In 2015-2016, Elon Musk and his engineering team decided to implement fully electric door handles controlled by software, inspired by Apple’s minimalist, touchscreen-driven design philosophy. Musk’s vision was to eliminate mechanical parts where possible, encapsulated in his statement, “The best part is no part.” These electric door handles, along with other systems like interior lights and Bluetooth recognition, rely on a 12-volt lead acid battery for power, which poses a critical safety risk if the battery fails. The article highlights several tragic incidents where occupants were trapped inside burning Tesla vehicles because the electric door handles and other electronic systems became inoperative without power. One notable case involved a couple, Venkateswara Pasumarti and Susmita Maddi, who were involved in a crash that rendered the electric door handles unusable. Rescue efforts were hindered